Dispensing cap for aerosol containers



Dec. 14, 1965 NYDEN 3,223,332

DISPENSING CAP FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Filed NOV. 2, 1964 FIG. I. FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. ROBE/P7 A/YDEA/ United States Patent Ofitice 3,223,332 Patented Dec. 14, 1985 3,223,332 DTSPENSING CAP FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS Robert Nyden, ianhasset, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Heeltin Can Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,26(} 8 Claims. or. 239-492) This invention relates to improvements in dispensing caps adapted for use primarily with aerosol containers.

The conventional aerosol container comprises a cylindrical receptacle having an active fluid therein which is maintained under superatmospheric pressure by means of a liquefied gas. The fluid to be dispensed is discharged from the container through a hollow valve stem of an associated valve which is normally supported by the top wall of the container.

The primary type of valve assembly in general use today in aerosol containers is operated by depression of the valve stem. Thus, the valve stem is a tubular member which projects upwardly from the top of the container and is adapted to be depressed to unseat the valve and allow the contents of the container to be discharged through a passage which extends along the longitudinal axis of the stem.

Various types of dispensing caps have been proposed and/or utilized in conjunction with containers having the aforementioned type of valve structure. The most common of such dispensing caps includes a cylindrical cap body which is attached to the top of the container and a valve-actuating lever mounted within the cap and having a portion overlying and communicating with the valve stem of the container. The lever contains a fluid passageway communicating with a nozzle, such that when the lever is depressed, the valve stem is actuated to open the valve and release a spray of fluid from the nozzle. Each of these caps has serious disadvantages attendant upon its use. For example, in one type of device the actuating lever and cap body are made as separate pieces, increasing the cost of manufacture. In another type of device, the actuating lever is mounted on the cap at the periphery thereof for downward pivoting movement, but the pivotal mount is such that no compensating lateral or longitudinal movement of the lever is permitted. Thus, where the mass production of the aerosol containers results in discrepancies in the location of the valve stem, etc., as often occurs, the dispensing cap cannot be adapted to such container.

In addition, dispenser caps of the type having pivotally mounted actuating levers have been found to bend the valve stem during operation and may therefor, after repeated operations, cause the valve to remain permanently unseated to thereby discharge the entire contents of the container. It will be apparent that the path described by the portion of the valve-actuating lever overlying and receiving the valve stem is an arc; the radius of said arc being equal to the length of the lever lying between the valve-engaging portion and the hinge connection. The downwardly circular traverse of the valve operating lever will impart a downward and longitudinally inward motion to valve stem and, since the valve stem is constrained to move in a vertical direction only, it could very easily be bent or tilted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser cap for aerosol containers which will substantially eliminate bending of the valve stem when operated to actuate the valve.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispenser cap for aerosol containers in which the valve actuating lever is integrally formed with the cap body and which nevertheless is capable of compensating for inaccuracies in the manufacture of the containers.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser cap for aerosol containers which is economical to manufacture and is peculiarly adapted for mass production techniques.

In accordance with the above objects, the dispenser cap of the present invention is made of a substantially flexible plastic material and comprises a substantially upstanding peripheral wall and a top closure wall integral with the peripheral wall having a slot therein conforming to the shape of and slightly larger than a valve operating lever. A flexible portion depends from the top closure wall and is adapted to engage a bead on the container to secure the cap on the container. The valve operating lever is received within the slot with the sides of the lever in juxtaposed relation to the sides of the slot and flexible bars integral with the top closure wall and the valve operating lever connect the valve operating to the top closure of the dispenser cap for pivotal and limited lateral and longitudinal movement with respect thereto. Since the elements of the cap are integral, the entire cap may be molded as a unit thereby decreasing the cost of manufacturing same. The underside of the valve operatinglever overlying the valve stem is provided with a downwardly projecting chambered hub which is open at the bottom and forms a socket therein for the reception of a valve stem from an associated aerosol container in a relatively tight fit. The valve operating lever is further provided with a dispensing opening and a continuous passage which communicates with the dispensing opening and the chamber in the hub. Thus, when the valve operating lever is depressed, the valve stem is actuated to unseat the valve to allow discharge of the contents of the container through the dispensing openin Since the flexible bars have limited longitudinal and'lateral movement, the valve operating lever may be moved longitudinally or laterally within the confines of the slot in the top closure to compensate for inaccuracies in the aerosol container. Additionally, the axes of the flexible bars are located in the plane of the dispensing opening to thereby reduce lateral translation of the valve stem-engaging portion of the lever to a minimum, to prevent bending of the stem.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a swirl chamber adjacent the dispensing opening of the dispenser cap to provide swirling of the contents of the container prior to its ejection from the nozzle.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a detailed side elevational view of the valveoperating lever of the dispenser cap shown in FIGS. 46, with the flexible integral connection shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the dispenser cap of the present invention taken along line 22 of FIG. 4, with parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a central vertical sectional view of the dispenser cap body with the actuating lever removed;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dispenser cap of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the dispenser cap;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of thedispenser cap;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view. of the dispenser cap taken along line 77 of FIG. 4, and showing the cap mounted on an aerosol container which is shown partially in section and is partially broken away; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the disc forming the swirl chamber in the dispensing cap of the present invention.

It is to be understood that like numbers in the various figures indicate identical elements.

FIG. 7 partially illustrates an aerosol container C of the type which may be used in conjunction with the dispensing cap of the present invention. A convex-upwardly shaped member 23 closes the top of container C and supports a valve cup 21 which, in turn, supports a valve assembly which is conventional and well known, and therefore not illustrated. This type of valve is provided with a hollow valve stem 23 which is reciprocable and, when depressed unseats the valve and allows the contents of the container to vent through an axial passage in the valve stem. Normally, the valve stem 23 is biased upwardly to valveclosing position by a spring (not shown). An internal head 22 is spaced below the top edge of the cap. The bottom of member 20 extends horizontally outwardly and is joined to side wall 25 of container C. Conventionally. the peripheral edge of member 20 is interfolded with the circumferential edge of side wall 25 to form an annular ridge or flange 24. Flange 24 projects above the bottom of member 20 to define annular groove 26 therebetwecn.

The cap of the present invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and is preferably made of a resilient material such as polyethylene plastic and comprises a body having an upstanding peripheral wall 11 which is beveled at the bottom edge (FIG. 3) so as to sit firmly in groove 26 of container C (FIG. 7). A slot 12 is provided in peripheral wall 11 and extends to the top edge of the Wall. A top wall or closure 13 is integral with peripheral wall 11 and, in a preferred embodiment, contains an indented central portion or depression 13a which begins adjacent to and on either side of slot 12 and slopes downwardly to the center of top wall 13, as shown in FIG. 3, from the left to the right, then curving downwardly into peripheral wall 11 at the opposite end thereof.

Depression 13a is provided with a keyhole slot 14, the circular portion 14a of which is substantially centrally located and the narrow shank portion 14b of which extends longitudinally forward toward slot 12 in wall 11. The shank portion 14b of keyhole slot 14 terminates in a slot 15, the side walls of which extend to peripheral wall 11 and meet the respective side walls of slot 12, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the walls of slots 12 and 15 define the top and side edges of a substantially square recess.

A tubular depending wall 16 extends downwardly from depression 13a, being concentric to peripheral wall 11 and bordering the circular portion 14a of slot 14. Wall 16 terminates well above the bottom edge of wall 11 and is provided with an external annular bead 17 adjacent the bottom edge thereof. Wall 16 is further provided with a plurality of longitudinal slots 18 which are spaced about its circumference and extend from the bottom edge of Wall 16 to allow inward flexing of wall 16. Additionally, the surface between bead 17 and the bottom of wall 16 tapers downwardly and inwardly to facilitate mounting of the cap on the container C. Thus, when cap 10 is mounted on container C, bead 17 will be sprung under and retained by bead 22, as shown in FIG. 7, to maintain cap 10 firmly in place.

within slot circular portion 14a. The keyhole slot 14, the recess and the corresponding portions of valve operating lever 30 are so sized that a space exists between the sides of valve operating lever 30 and the facing sides of the slot and recess, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, the valve operating lever will be laterally and longitudinally movable a limited distance within the confines of slot 14 and the recess defined by slots 12 and 15.

The valve-operating lever 30 is formed integrally with the cap 1%} by means of a pair of L-shaped flexible bars 34, shown best in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, which connect the central side walls of the lever front portion 33 with the under surface of top wall 13. The lever 36 and cap 1i) are preferably formed in one molding operation, with the bars 34 integral with said lever front portion 33 and cap 13. The bars 34 extend downwardly and laterally inward from top wall 13, as shown in FIG. 2, and are of relatively small cross-sectional area to provide flexibility. Bars 34 connect lever 30 for pivotal and limited lateral and longitudinal motion relative to cap 10. That is, bars 34 are rotatable about their longitudinal axes in the same manner as torsion bars and allow pivotal movement of lever 30 while the bars are also flexible in the lateral and longitudinal direction and therefore allow limited lateral and longitudinal movement of valve operating lever 30 within the confines of keyhole slot 14. Thus, lever 30 may be moved laterally or longitudinally to compensate for inaccuracies in the containers.

The underside of the lever circular portion 31 is pro- .vided with a centrally located integral hub 35 which extends perpendioularly downwardly and is provided therein with a chamber 36 which forms a socket which is adapted to fit snugly over associated valve stem 23, as shown in FIG. 7, with the top of the valve stem seated on the top of chamber 36. A bore or passageway 37 communicates with the chamber 36 and then extends longitudinally forwardly through the lever 30, communicating with an enlarged bore 38 in the lever front portion 33. Said enlarged bore 38 opens to the exterior of the lever through a constricted opening 39 in the front face of lever portion 33, the opening 39 being of slightly lesser diameter than enlarged bore 38. The edge of opening 39 is flared outwardly as shown in FIG. 7 to facilitate the mounting of a nozzle disc 40 therein. A longitudinally extending cylindrical post 41 is formed integrally in the front lever portron 33 and is concentrically located within the enlarged bore 38. The post 41 reduces the area of bore 38 and defines the space therein as an annular chamber in which the pressurized liquid content of the container C is received after passing through bore 37.

As shown in FIG. 8, the disc 40 is provided with a plurality of spaced bores 42 projecting from the rear surface thereof, and so shaped as to form therebetween a plurality (herein shown as three) of liquid passageways 43 leading from the edge of the disc 40 to a central circular chamber 44 between said vanes 42. A fluid outlet opening 45 is located in disc 40 centrally of the chamber 44. When the disc is mounted within the front opening 39 in an airtight fit, the face of post 41 abuts the rear surface of said disc and overlies and closes off the central chamber 44. The pressurized fluid emerging from bore 37 thus enters the enlarged bore 38, and from there must enter the vanes 43 at the outer ends thereof to reach the central chamber 44. As shown in FIG. 8, the vanes are arranged substantially tangential to the circular chamber 44, so that the fluid travels tangentially and enters the chamber in a swirling motion which continues as the fluid then passes through the outlet opening 45 to the atmosphere. The chamber 44 thus serves as a swirl chamber for the fluid.

his to be specifically noted that in the present device the longitudinal or pivot axes of the laterally extending portion of bars 34 intersect the axis of the top of valve stem 23 (FIGS. 2 and 5). By locating flexible bars 34 in line or below said axis, when the lever is depressed the hub 35 moves downwardly with a minimum of forward displacement, thus reducing the tendency to cant the valve stem 23 and thus damage the valve. As shown in FIG. 7, there is practically no forward component of movement of hub 35 when the valve operating lever 30 is depressed to the operating position shown by the broken lines. Additionally, in accordance with the features of the invention, it is seen that valve operating lever 30 is permitted to follow a slight lateral or longitudinal movement as it is depressed, since integral flexible bars 34 are flexible in these directions, to compensate for inaccuracies in the manufacture of the container such as stem 23 being off center.

When pressure is applied to lever portion 31, valve operating lever 30 will pivot about flexible bars 34 to depress valve stem 23 which will unseat the valve and allow the contents to flow through the valve stem and bore 37 to bore 38. The contents will then impinge upon and be deflected by vanes 42 to cause swirling of the contents before they exit through dispensing opening 45.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A dispensing cap for aerosol containers having fluids therein under superatmospheric pressure and having a depressably actuable valve stem provided with a discharge vent therein for releasing the fluid from the container, said cap comprising a substantially upstanding peripheral wall having a bottom portion engageable with an aerosol container, 2. top wall having an opening therein, a valve operating lever located within and conforming to the shape of said top wall opening and sized substantially smaller than said opening so as to be laterally and longitudinally movable therein and being provided with a dispensing opening therein, a pair of flexible members of relatively small cross-sectional area integral with said valve operating lever and said top wall for connecting said valve operating lever to said top wall for pivotal and lateral and longitudinal movement within said top wall opening, and a hub projecting downwardly from the underside of said operating lever, said hub having a chamber therein open at the bottom and forming a socket for the reception of a valve stem from an associated aerosol container, said valve operating lever being further provided with a continuous passage communicating with the dispensing opening and the chamber in the hub, whereby depression of said valve operating lever operates an associated valve stem for the discharge of the contents of the container through the dispensing opening of the cap.

2. A dispensing cap for aerosol containers as defined in claim 1, wherein the flexible members pivotally interconnects the top wall and the valve operating lever for pivotal movement about an axis lying substantially in the plane of the upper end of said valve stem.

3. A dispensing cap for aerosol containers according to claim 1 which also includes means in said continuous passage adapted to mix fluid passing therethrough from an associated aerosol container, said last-named means comprising a bore communicating with the outlet end of said passage, a disc positioned in said bore, said dispensing opening extending axially through said disc, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes projecting from the rear surface of said disc and defining a recessed central portion and a plurality of grooves extending tangentially to said recessed central portion, and a circular post concentrically located in said bore and abutting said vanes to define a closed swirl chamber in the recessed portion of said disc, whereby fluid passing through said bore would enter said recessed portion through said tangential grooves to swirl about in said dispensing opening.

4. A dispensing cap for aerosol containers having fluids therein under superatmospheric pressure and having a depressably actuable valve stem provided with a discharge vent therein for releasing the fluid from the container, said cap comprising a substantially upstanding peripheral wall having a bottom portion engageable with an aerosol container, a top Wall integral with said peripheral wall and extending across the top edges thereof and having a slot therein, a valve operating lever positioned in and conforming to the shape of said slot and sized substantially smaller than said slot so as to be laterally and longitudinally movable in said slot and being provided with a dispensing opening therein, flexible bars integral with said valve operating lever and said top wall for connecting said valve operating lever to said top wall for pivotal and lateral and longitudinal movement therebetween, and a hub projecting downwardly from the under side of said operating lever, said hub having a chamber therein open at the bottom and forming a socket for the reception of a valve stem from an associated aerosol container, said valve operating lever being further provided with a continuous passage communicating with the dispensing opening and the chamber in the hub, whereby depression of said valve operating lever operates an associated valve stem for the discharge of the contents of the container through the dispensing opening of the cap.

5. A dispenser cap for aerosol containers according to claim 4, in which said flexible bars are of relatively small cross-section and depend from said top wall on either side of said valve operating lever, said bars having lateral extensions connected to said valve operating lever and serving to pivotally interconnect said valve operating lever and said top wall for pivotal movement of said lever about an axis lying in the plane of the top end of said valve stem.

6. A dispensing cap for an aerosol container accord ing to claim 4, which includes means in said continuous passage adapted to mix fluid passing therethrough from an associated aerosol container, said last-named means comprising avbore communicating with said passage, a disc positioned in said bore, said dispensing opening being located centrally in said disc, a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes projecting from the rear surface of said disc and defining a recessed central circular portion and a plurality of spaced grooves leading tangentially to said recessed central portion, and a circular post concentrically located in said bore and abutting said vanes to define a closed swirl chamber in the recessed central portion of said disc, whereby fluid passing through said bore passes through said grooves and enters said recessed central portion in a tangential direction to swirl about in said swirl chamber before exiting through said dispensing opening.

7. A dispensing cap for an aerosol container according to claim 4, which also includes a flexible tubular member depending from said top wall and terminating above the bottom edge of said peripheral wall, fastening means adjacent the bottom edge of said tubular member adapted to engage a portion of an associated aerosol container to firmly afiix the cap to the container, said fastening means comprising an external bead sized and positioned to be engaged beneath an internal bead on the valve cup of the associated aerosol container, said tubular member being further provided with a plurality of spaced longitudinal slots extending to the bottom edge thereof and a downwardly inwardly sloping surface between said bead and the bottom edge of said tubular member to facilitate mounting of said cap.

8. A dispensing cap for aerosol containers having fluids therein under superatmospheric pressure and having a depressably actuable valve stem provided with a discharge vent therein for releasing the fluid from the container, said cap comprising a substantially upstanding peripheral wall having a bottom portion engageable with an aerosol container, a top wall having an opening therein, a valve operating lever located within said top wall opening and being provided with a dispensing opening therein, torsionally flexible pivot means integral with said valve operating lever and said top wall and serving as a pivotal interconnection therebetween for pivotal movement about an axis lying in the plane of said dispensing opening, and a hub projecting downwardly from the underside of said operating lever, said hub having a chamber therein open at the bottom and forming a socket for the reception of a valve stem from an associated aerosol container, said valve operating lever being further provided with a continuous passage communicating with the dispensing opening and the chamber in the hub, whereby depression of said valve operating lever operates an associated valve stem'for the discharge of the contents of the container through the dispensing opening of the cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,715,481 8/1955 McGhie et a1 222-320 X 2,946,520 5/1960 Meador 239-492 X 3,143,254 8/ 1964 Vanderhyde 222182 X 3,178,071 4/1965 Gentoso 22 0 LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSING CAP FOR AEROSOL CONTAINERS HAVING FLUIDS THEREIN UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND HAVING A DEPRESSABLY ACTUABLE VALVE STEM PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE VENT THEREIN FOR RELEASING THE FLUID FROM THE CONTAINER, SAID CAP COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL WALL HAVING A BOTTOM PORTION ENGAGEABLE WITH AN AEROSOL CONTAINER, A TOP WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A VALVE OPERATING LEVER LOCATED WITHIN AND CONFORMING TO THE SHAPE OF SAID TOP WALL OPENING AND SIZED SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN SAID OPENING SO AS TO BE LATERALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE THEREIN AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISPENSING OPENING THEREIN, A PAIR OF FLEXIBLE MEMBERS OF RELATIVELY SMALL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA INTEGRAL WITH SAID VALVE OPERATING LEVER AND SAID TOP WALL FOR CONNECTING SAID VALVE OPERATING LEVER TO SAID TOP WALL FOR PIVOTAL AND LATERAL AND LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID TOP WALL OPENING, AND A HUB PROJECTING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID OPERATING LEVER, SAID HUB HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN OPEN AT THE BOTTOM AND FORMING A SOCKET FOR THE RECEPTION OF SAID VALVE STEM FROM AN ASSOCIATED AEROSOL CONTAINER, SAID VALVE OPERATING LEVER BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH A CONTINUOUS PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE DISPENSING OPENING AND THE CHAMBER IN THE HUB, WHEREBY DEPRESSION OF SAID VALVE OPERATING LEVER OPERATES AN ASSOCIATED VALVE STEM FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER THROUGH THE DISPENSING OPENING OF THE CAP. 